1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a support used for coupling and routing conduits, notably for transporting fuel, in an aircraft wing.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the prior art structure of an aircraft wing 10 generally incorporates a plurality of transverse ribs 12 distributed in the length L10 of the wing 10. In order to form a rigid structure, these transverse ribs 12 are principally connected by spars 14 extending in the length L10 of the wing 10, and secondarily by stringers 16 also arranged in the length L10 of the wing 10.
Since the transverse ribs 12 extend from the leading edge 18 to the trailing edge 20 of the wing 10 and from the lower surface 22 to the upper surface 24 of the wing 10, and since the spars 14 connect the lower surface 22 to the upper surface 24 of the wing 10, different chambers 26 are formed in the length L10 of the wing 10. In a known manner, these chambers 26 are used to house fuel tanks.
Therefore, in order to connect these fuel tanks situated in the chambers 26 of each wing 10 of the aircraft to the aircraft powerplant and/or the central tank of the aircraft, different lines 28 for transporting fuel are routed from one end to the other of each wing 10. As illustrated by the longitudinal section of a known wing 10 in FIG. 2, a line 28 for transporting fuel must pass through different transverse ribs 12 in order to connect the different tanks contained in the wing. In the same manner and with the same objective, certain lines 28 for transporting fuel can pass through a spar 14 of the wing 10.
According to the state of the art, a line 28 for transporting fuel is composed of floating conduits 30, at least one floating conduit 30 for each chamber 26 it passes through, and routing supports 32 are fastened in openings 34 made in the ribs 12 for the passage of the line 28 for transporting fuel. In parallel, the routing supports 32 also allow the end-to-end connection of the floating conduits 30 situated either side of each transverse rib and/or each spar 14.
The floating installation of the conduits 30 allows the bending of the wing 10 to be balanced out in order to preserve the sealing of the conduits for transportation of fuel, and the routing supports 32 help to avoid subjecting the line 28 to the forces connected with such bending.
In order to obtain this floating installation, a sliding link 36 is provided between each floating conduit 30 and each routing support 32. Each sliding link 36 authorizes an angular freedom LA and a translational play JT between the end 38 of the floating conduit 30 and the lateral part 40 of the routing support 32, whose connection it allows.
The sliding link 36 according to the state of the art takes the form of a sealing means 42, such as an O-ring seal, inserted in a groove 44 made around an end fitting 46 fitting the end 38 of the conduit 30, the end fitting 46 of the conduit 30 and the sealing means 42 being inserted in a bore 48 made in the lateral part 40 of the routing support 32.
According to a first disadvantage of this state of the art, since each sealing means 42 is not integral with the end fitting 46 and with the bore 48 which it connects, the sealing between each conduit 30 and each routing support 32 is not perfect and can be improved.
According to another disadvantage, in order to obtain the best possible sealing between each conduit 30 and each routing support 32, the groove 44 of each end fitting 46 and the bore 48 of each lateral part 40 must be machined with precision.
Such precision machining leads to a significant increase in the overall cost of fabricating each line 28 for transporting fuel.